School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain.
The National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2021 May 18;20(1):35. doi: 10.1186/s12941-021-00438-7.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the second pandemic of the twenty-first century, with over one-hundred million infections and over two million deaths to date. It is a novel strain from the Coronaviridae family, named Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2); the 7th known member of the coronavirus family to cause disease in humans, notably following the Middle East Respiratory syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (SARS). The most characteristic feature of this single-stranded RNA molecule includes the spike glycoprotein on its surface. Most patients with COVID-19, of which the elderly and immunocompromised are most at risk, complain of flu-like symptoms, including dry cough and headache. The most common complications include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and cardiovascular manifestations. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is mainly via respiratory droplets, either directly from the air when an infected patient coughs or sneezes, or in the form of fomites on surfaces. Maintaining hand-hygiene, social distancing, and personal protective equipment (i.e., masks) remain the most effective precautions. Patient management includes supportive care and anticoagulative measures, with a focus on maintaining respiratory function. Therapy with dexamethasone, remdesivir, and tocilizumab appear to be most promising to date, with hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, ritonavir, and interferons falling out of favour. Additionally, accelerated vaccination efforts have taken place internationally, with several promising vaccinations being mass deployed. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries and stakeholders have taken varying precautions to combat and contain the spread of the virus and dampen its collateral economic damage. This review paper aims to synthesize the impact of the virus on a global, micro to macro scale.
新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）是 21 世纪的第二次大流行疾病，截至目前，已感染超过 1 亿人，死亡超过 200 万人。它是一种新型冠状病毒，属于冠状病毒科，名为严重急性呼吸系统综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）；是目前已知的第 7 种可感染人类的冠状病毒，此前曾出现过中东呼吸综合征（MERS）和严重急性呼吸综合征（SARS）。这种单链 RNA 分子最显著的特征是其表面的刺突糖蛋白。大多数 COVID-19 患者，尤其是老年人和免疫功能低下者，都有类似流感的症状，包括干咳和头痛。最常见的并发症包括肺炎、急性呼吸窘迫综合征、感染性休克和心血管表现。SARS-CoV-2 的传播主要通过呼吸道飞沫进行，要么是当感染者咳嗽或打喷嚏时直接从空气中传播，要么是通过表面上的飞沫传播。保持手部卫生、保持社交距离和使用个人防护设备（即口罩）仍然是最有效的预防措施。患者管理包括支持性护理和抗凝措施，重点是维持呼吸功能。目前，地塞米松、瑞德西韦和托珠单抗的治疗效果似乎最为显著，而羟氯喹、洛匹那韦、利托那韦和干扰素的治疗效果则不尽如人意。此外，国际上也在加速疫苗接种工作，几种有前途的疫苗正在大规模部署。针对 COVID-19 大流行，各国和利益相关者采取了不同的预防措施，以对抗和控制病毒的传播，并减轻其对经济的负面影响。本综述旨在综合分析该病毒对全球、微观到宏观层面的影响。
